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Building design

When planning the layout and fixtures of any new building, or modifying existing buildings, check the requirements related to safety and health

The Farm Building Specifications (AES - Agriculture, Environment and Structures), issued by the Department of Agriculture and Food, give authoritative guidance on safety and health features of buildings and facilities. These specifications are mandatory for obtaining grant aid

Ensure that livestock have adequate floor space

Make sure that ventilation is adequate. Use sliding or roller doors where doors need to be more than 1.2 metres wide

Accessing heights

The sides of stairs should be protected by a wall or railing of sufficient strength

Where a railing is used, there should be at least two rails, with the lower rail positioned mid-way between the top rail and pitch line

To prevent falls, lofts, work platforms and walkways should have a protective barrier at the edge

Over ground slurry tanks and grain or meal bins should have a secure working platform with protective rails and a safe means of access, such as a caged ladder

Surfaces of stairs and walkways should be firmly fixed and should not become slippery while in use

Sighting rails should be installed on silage-pit walls. The purpose of these is to indicate the location of the walls to the machine operator loading the silage when the silage is above the walls. They are not intended to prevent a machine overturning. In addition, sighting rails provide protection against a person falling

Ladders

Much small-scale and short-duration maintenance work involves the use of ladders. Always secure a ladder, even for work that will last only a few minutes

The base of the ladder must always be placed on firm, level and secure ground. Ideally, the top of the ladder should be tied to a secure part of the building to stop it from slipping

The ladder needs to be 'footed' or tied off while it is being used

Ladders must be in good condition. Makeshift, home-made or damaged ladders are dangerous and should never be used

A ladder must be placed against the side of a building at a safe angle - about 75 degrees to the horizontal (one metre out for every four metres in height).

Never reach out sideways from a ladder as this will destabilise the ladder and possibly turn it over

Never carry heavy objects while climbing a ladder

Scaffolds and platforms

Extensive work at heights may require the use of scaffolds or properly designed work platforms

Scaffolds should only be erected by people with appropriate training and experience

Tower scaffolds can be useful but, because they are light and potentially unstable, need to be used with care. A free-standing tower used out of doors should not be higher than three times its base

Fall Collapse Fatalities

Falls from a height are the major cause of accidents involving farm buildings. Of particular concern is falling through fragile roofs and from ladders. Collapsing walls or earthen drains also cause deaths.

Fatal and serious accidents often happen when roofs are being quickly repaired. A total of 18% of all deaths in the agricultural sector are associated with falls or collapses. These deaths are particularly linked to fragile roof sheeting and skylights. Weathered skylights become indistinguishable from other roofing material. Both skylights and glass, when painted over, are not recognisable as such and are highly dangerous.

In this video, agricultural contractor Stanley Scanlan remembers how he was seriously injured when he fell just 9 feet through a skylight. (1 minute, 59 seconds).